Iloilo Coffee Fest 2025 connects farmers, entrepreneurs

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The Iloilo Coffee Fest 2025, held at the Iloilo Convention Center as part of the Manila Food and Beverage Expo (Mafbex), brought together coffee farmers, buyers, and entrepreneurs in a celebration of Iloilo’s growing coffee industry.

Key activities included a market-matching event and an entrepreneurial session — both aimed at strengthening the local coffee value chain with support from the Department of Trade and Industry Iloilo.

On July 17, the festival hosted “Coffee Farmers Meet the Buyers,” a market-matching activity that linked coffee producers from nine municipalities — Igbaras, Leon, Calinog, Maasin, Pototan, Janiuay, Lambunao, San Joaquin, and Dingle — with seven prospective buyers, including established businesses like Coffeebreak International and Madge Café.

The initiative promoted direct sourcing, reduced intermediaries, and helped farmers better understand pricing, volume, and quality requirements.

DTI Iloilo provided technical and logistical support to help facilitate meaningful interactions between producers and potential buyers.

“This isn’t just about selling coffee,” said Jerduen “Noi” Dongor, president of the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. “It’s about empowering farmers to become key players in a more inclusive and sustainable coffee economy.”

Participating buyers expressed strong interest in establishing direct relationships with Iloilo’s coffee-growing communities.

On July 20, another festival highlight was “Coffee Shop 101,” a learning session that brought together 36 coffee shop owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The event, held in partnership with the DTI Iloilo Provincial Office, featured Dongor — founder of Coffee Brewtherhood — who shared insights from his own entrepreneurial journey, including lessons on managing a coffee business and calculating return on investment.

“Running a coffee shop is more than serving good coffee,” Dongor said. “It’s about building relationships — with your team, your customers, and your farmers. Passion, purpose, and persistence are essential.”

With strong participation and support from stakeholders like DTI Iloilo, the Iloilo Coffee Fest 2025 created lasting connections across the coffee supply chain — reinforcing the province’s position as an emerging center for high-quality Philippine coffee.